Nicole Thompson was praised and thanked for her four years of service to King George as its director of economic development by the Board of Supervisors, and offered best wishes for her continued professional and personal success in her upcoming move to Colorado.

Those sentiments and others were imbued in a resolution approved by the board at last week’s meeting on July 16 and provided to Thompson, along with a plaque commemorating her time working for the county.

Thompson was cited for providing “oversight, expertise, commitment and leadership relating to attracting and enhancing economic development opportunities for existing and prospective businesses in King George County.”

Along with the formal resolution and plaque, Chairman Dale Sisson also cited Thompson for one of her most recent accomplishments, the launching of the county’s new economic development website, which can be seen as a culmination of her branding efforts to associate King George with the opportunity for economic development across the region and the state.

When Thompson took the job in May 2009, the county and the nation was feeling the unfamiliar results of what is now being called the “Great Recession.” With the end of the previous ‘boom’ times, it was a tough time to be in the field of economic development, but Thompson jumped in with both feet, working to create important regional and state relationships for King George to get its name and attributes noticed.

Sisson said, “I think you will certainly leave behind a legacy of branding here that you helped us create.” Sisson added, “You helped us with our whole look, relative to content for our website.”

EDA RESOLUTIONTony Zilic, vice chairman of the county’s Economic Development Authority, was also present at the meeting of the Board of Supervisors to provide similar praise and thanks to Thompson from that public body and wished her well in all of her future endeavors.

The EDA resolution cited her “commitment to the King George business community” and thanked her for staffing the EDA as its Secretary/Treasurer. It also recognized and extended appreciation to her for her dedicated service, stating she provided the EDA with “strong leadership, able advice and wise counsel regarding business development” in King George County.

Part of Thompson’s job was to deal with day-to-day issues having to do with the King George Industrial Park, which is owned by the county, and placed under the purview of the EDA.

The EDA’s resolution also commended Thompson, saying her “integrity and commitment to economic development have contributed to the quality of life in King George County and its fiscal growth and well-being, while maintaining its rural character.”

THOMPSON COMMENDEDCounty administrator, Travis Quesenberry, had previously cited Thompson, noting a few of her many accomplishments while on the job in King George.

Those included coordination of the annual Business Appreciation Event, establishment of a satellite office in the County for the Rappahannock Region Small Business Development Center, creation of a Development Guide and “How to Start a Business in King George County.”

He also commended her for developing a close working relationship with major employers in the county and small county businesses, her close working relationships with the Virginia Economic Development Partnership and the Fredericksburg Regional Alliance, her assistance on CDBG Grant projects, as well as her service as a member of the Rappahannock Economic Development Corp-oration, the Northern Neck Tourism Commission, and the Ralph Bunche Advisory Committee.

THOMPSON COMMENTSThompson thanked the board and provided some comments in response. She said, “It is with a sadness that I leave. But I just want to say that I appreciate all that you’ve done to help me grow, all that you’ve done to help the county grow, all the help of the EDA to help the county grow, and I hope you never change.”

She said, “There is so much opportunity here in King George, there is so much that can be done and I think you’re moving in the right direction. I wish you much, much success, and I hope you all never lose that friendly, family feel. I have met so many people here who I will carry with me to Colorado.”

Thompson’s last day is this week on July 24. She had handed in a letter of resignation late last month, it was after “careful consideration” that she has accepted a position as the Executive Director of the Lake County Economic Development Corporation (LCEDC) in Lake County, Colorado, adding, “This is a tremendous opportunity for me and one I cannot decline.”

Thompson will be the first director of the LCEDC, which was officially formed about six months ago. Her office will be in the small town of Leadville, Colorado.

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